Torchwood (Entry Two of The Diaries of a Teenage Time Lady)

The Age of Steel

This arc was just fun to write. And now I feel like "The Idiot's Lantern" will be rubbish compared to this. *sigh* Oh, well. Every author has their fortes. That episode is never it.

Anyway, the attack on Battersea is on, and the Time Lords (both of them!) have quite the inspirational and epic speeches. ;)

Enjoy "The Age of Steel!"

***

Before the Cybermen could shoot, the Doctor held out the recharging TARDIS power cell, and golden energy shot out from it, hitting the Cybermen and atomizing them. "What the hell was that?" Ricky stared.

"We'll have that instead," the Doctor shook his head, turning and grabbing Anna's hand. "Run!"

A van's horn honked, and Moore poked her head out. "Everybody in!" she shouted.

"I've got to go back," Pete shook his head, even as Ricky, Mickey, and Jake ran for the van. "My wife's in there."

"Anyone inside that house is dead," the Doctor shook his head. "If you want to help, then don't let her die for nothing. You've got to come with us right now."

"Come on!" Moore shouted as the remaining four jogged for the van.

Rose paused to take one last look at the house. "Rose, she isn't your mother," the Doctor reminded her.

"I know," Rose nodded.

"Come on," the Doctor helped pull her and Anna into the van.

"Finished chatting?" Moore asked sarcastically as she wheeled the van off. "Never seen a slower getaway in my life!"

"What was that thing?" Ricky looked at the power cell.

"Little bit of technology from our home," the Doctor answered, looking it over.

"It's stopped glowing," Mickey said. "Has it run out?"

"It's on a revitalizing loop," the Doctor shook his head. "It'll charge back up in about four hours."

"Right," Ricky scowled. "So we don't have a weapon anymore."

"Yeah, we've got weapons," Jake patted the guns they had. "Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him," he gave Pete a dirty look.

"Leave him alone," Rose frowned. "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh, you know, just laid a trap that's wiped out the government and left Lumic in charge," Jake snarked.

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete raised an eyebrow.

The Doctor and Anna instantly shook their heads, but Ricky just scoffed. "Maybe your plan went wrong. Still gives us the right to execute you, though."

"Daddy doesn't like executions," Anna gave Ricky a look.

"Talk about those, you'll make me your enemy," the Doctor nodded. "And you've met me, Ricky, you know you don't want to do that."

"All the same, we have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since twenty point five," Ricky said smugly.

Rose frowned. "Is that true?" she asked Pete.

Ricky smirked. "Tell them, Mrs. M."

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information," Moore reported. "Lumic's private files, his South American operations, the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week."

Pete perked up at that. "Broadcast from Gemini?"

Ricky narrowed his eyes. "And how do you know that?"